Cleaning plant fibers



Sept. 24, 1929. MERTZ I CLEANING PLANT FIBERS Filed Aug. 3, 1927 Fig: I.

Patented Sept. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE;

FRITZ MERTZ, F MAGDEBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRIED. iKRUPP G'R'USOIKI'WERK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF MAGDEBURG-IBUCKAU, GERMANY CLEANING PLANT FIBERS I Application filed August 3,1927, Serial No. 210,392, and in Germany August 6,1926.

This invention has reference to a process for cleaning the fibers recovered from agaves and other fiber-containing plants, in which. bundles of such fibers are laid with their central parts upon a conveyor in such manner that the two ends of each bundle hang down from the conveyor and are then carried one after the other past two pairs of drums provided with cleaning devices such as brushes, combs, scrapers or the like, and are treated at both working positions from the point of attachment towards the ends. It has already been and reliable way of turning the bundles, in,

which. also changing of the point at which the bundles are gripped can be effected in a simple manner.

According to the invention the turning of the bundles is effected before they are gripped in the conveyor of the secondworking osition, so that on being thus gripped for t e second treatment the bundles already occupy their turned position. As already known per se in machines for treating plants of this kind, two co'nveyors independent of each other may be used. A turning movementis then imparted to the bundles coming from the first Working position by the conveyor of this working position by means of a downwardly directed curved guiding movement, whereupon the bundles are released, so

that they fall off the conveyor which has brought them from the first working posi tion. They are then automatically laid in a different position upon the second conveyor whereby the parts so far untreated are now in turn presented for treatment. The change of the point, at which the bundles are gripped, which is already known per se, preferably takes place at the same time as-this transfer:

to the second conveyor. In place of thev two conveyors shown a single conveyor running through t e whole machine can be used. The process possesses the-advantage that the bundles are guided into the second working po-. sition in a perfectly satisfactory position, that is to say hanging in a substantially vertical position in relation-to the direction of transport, and also that the entire construction of apparatus suitable for carrying out the new process can be materially simplified in that the machinesets for both working positions can be constructed in a practically similar manner. The fibers can be treated. at both working positions from the top down wards or vice versa. At one working position treatment can also be carried out from the top downwards and at the other the treatment from the bottom upwards.

A constructional form of apparatus suitable for carrying out the process forming the subject of the invention is illustrated diagrammatically by way'of example in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 represents the apparatus in elevation and Figure 2 in plan.

The bundles of fiber to be cleaned are laid at a with their central parts upon the endless conveyor 1 running in the direction indicated by the arrow :12, so that the ends of the bundles hang down at both sides of the conveyor. The bundles of fiber then pass the pair of brush drums 2, 3 provided with cleaning devices and are gripped during their travel from b to 0' between the edges ofthe conveyor disc 4: and the conveyor 1. The'conveyor then runs downwards-round the guiding roller 5 and thence back to the guiding roller 6. The roller 5 is preferably provided on its periphery with teeth or projections 8 and is partly enclosed bya curved guide shield 7. After one bundle has been guided past the first pair of drums it again hangs loosely down from the point 0 upon the conveyor 1, which 'now carries it on around the toothed roller 5, and between this rollerand the guide shield 7 whereby it is held in position upon the conveyor, but at the same time, as will be apparent, it is wholl'yor partially inverted in relation to the conveyor, so that the' parts hitherto not treated are exposed for treattoo ment. At (Z the bundle now passes out of the guide shield 7 and then falls upon the conveyor 9 of the second set of brushing apparatus. This conveyor 9 and the second pair of drums 14, 15 are staggered in relation to the similar parts of the first set of. brushing apparatus so that the point at which the bundle of fibers is gripped changes. The endless conveyor 9 runs from (Z in the direction of the arrow y over the roller 10, then under and through the groove of the disc 11. over the roller 12 back to the roller 13. The bundle now hanging upon the conveyor 9 is thus guided past the second pair of drums ll, 15 and is gripped while travelling from to f/ between the edges of the conveyor disc 11 and the conveyor 9. Parts of the bundle of fiber still untreated are now worked by the cleaning tools of this pair of drums 14, 15. From and after the point g the bundle hangs loosely upon the conveyor 9 and can now be taken lVith this turning and tension changing process an efiicient cleaning and disentangling of the fibers over their whole length is obtained in a reliable and simple manner. Automatic feed and taking off devices for the bundles may also be provided which render it possible for the bundles to be automatically placed from the feed upon the conveyor 1 and automatically removed from the conveyor 9 on to suitable means for carrying the bundles away. For transport ropes, chains, or

the like can be used.

The means for guiding the endless conveyor medium and the turning device itself could be modified as regards their structural details; for all constructional forms, however, it is essential that the bundles should be brought into another'position, that is to say, wholly or partially turned before they are again fastened in place for the second treatment. It is advantageous that a change in the gripping point should also take place simultaneously. Each of the two substantially similar machine sets can be used individually as a single machine. In this way the advantage is also securedthat duplicate parts for the one set can also be used for the other. v

VVhat I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, a pair of cleaning drums, means for grasping and conveying a bundle of fibers between said pair of cleaning drums to cause the latter to clean both ends of said bundle upon one side, means for turning the bundle over when it has passed said pair of cleaning drums, a second pair of cleaning drums, and means for grasplng sald bundle after the turnlng operation has been completed and conveying the same between said second set of cleaning drums to cause the latter to clean both ends of said bundle upon the other side.

2. In an apparatus of the kind described, two pairs of cleaning drums,separate conveyors, one associated with each pair of clean ing drums and adapted to convey bundles of fibers between said cleaning drums, means cooperating with each of said conveyorsad'apted to hold the bundles firmly on the conveyors as they pass between the cleaning drums, said conveyors being so arranged in relation to one another that the first will discharge its bundles onto the second, and means for turning said bundles after they pass the first pair of cleaning drums and before they reach the second conveyor, the first pair of cleaning .drums being adapted to clean one side of both ends of each bundle and the second pair of cleaning drums being adapted to clean the other side of both ends of each bundle.

3. In an apparatus of the kind described, two pairs of cleaning drums, separate con veyors, one associated with each pair of cleaning drums and adapted to convey bundles of fibers between said cleaning drums, means cooperating with each of said conveyors adapted to hold the bundles firmly on the conveyors as they pass between the cleaning drums, said,

conveyors being so arranged in relation to one another that the first will discharge its bundles onto the second, said second conveyor being laterally displaced with respect to the first, and means for turning said bundles after they pass the first pair of cleaning drums and before they reach the second conveyor, the first pair of cleaning drums being adapted to clean one side of both ends of each bundle and the second pair of cleaning drums being adapted to clean the other side of both ends of each bundle.

4. In an apparatus of the kind described, two pairs of cleaning drums, separate conveyors, one associated with each pair of cleaning drums and adapted to convey bundles of fibers between said cleaning drums, the first of said conveyors having its discharging point above the receiving point of the second, and means for turning said bundles after they pass the first set of cleaning drums and before they reach the second conveyor, the first pair of cleaning drums being adapted to clean one side of both ends of each bundle and the secondpair of cleaning drums being adapted to clean the other side of both ends of each bundle.

5. In a device of the class described, a set of cleaning drums, means including an endless conveyor for grasping and conveying a bundle of fibers past said cleaning drums to clean it upon one side, means for turning the bundle over when it has passed said set of cleaning drums comprising a roller adapted to guide said endless conveyor downwardly in substantially'a semi-circle, and a guide shield substantially surrounding the downwardly drops from said endless conveyor past said second set of cleaning drums.

6. In a device of the class described, a set of cleaning drums, means includmg an endless conveyor for grasping and conveying a bundle of fibers past said cleaning drums to clean it upon one side, mean's'for turning the bundle over when it has-passed said set of cleaning drums comprising a roller adapted to guide said endless conveyor downwardly v in substantially a semi-circle, projections on said roller, and a guide shield substantially surrounding the downwardly moving half of said roller, a .second set of cleaning drums,-

and means for receiving, grasping, and con- Veying the bundle after it drops from said endless conveyor past said second set of cleaning drums.

7. In a device of the class described, a pair I of cleaning drums, means for grasping and conveying a bundle of fibers between said pair of cleaning drums to cause each end to be cleaned upon one side, means for turnin the lin, Germany, this bundle over when it has passed said pair of cleaning drums, said last mentioned means being adapted to release said bundle after the turning is completed to permit the fibers thereof to readjust themselves freely, a conveyor adapted to receive said bundle after it is released by said turning means, a second pair of cleaning drums arranged one on each side of said conveyor and adapted to clean both ends of saidbundle as it'is moved by said conveyor, and means for clamping said bundle to said conveyor as it asses between said second pair of cleaning rums.

The foregoing s ecification si ed at Berlth da ofJ y, 1927.

iRITZ MERTZ. 

